Huge f***ing problem: Voodoo3 3000. Please read.

[Draelik]

OK, I DLed the new MiniGL 1.48 from 3dfx. I installed the drivers and tried Quake2. I had some goofy "artifact" flashing at the top of my screen, so I re-installed the drivers off of the Voodoo3 Install CD. I restarted my computer and everything seemed fine. I saw the Voodoo bios screen, got the first Windows screen, everything loaded alright, got the second Windows screen, and then nothing. My monitor acted like there was nothing being sent from the video card. My monitor light started flashing green and yellow (usually stays green). I retried several times and I got the same thing. I put my old card in and it started fine. So, I figured that the CPU would pick up the V3 as PnP new hardware if I put it back in. Nope, same thing. Can someone tell me how to absolutely remove everything from Voodoo so that my CPU will pick it up in PnP? I think just the drivers are what I need to remove, but I don't know how. If there is something additional to take into consideration, please let me know. I am trying not to freak out and to keep cool, but this is driving me crazy.

System Specs: P2 333, 96MB SDRam, SBLive! Value, and desperately wanting my V3 3000. Sorry to be so long, just wanted to clarify. Thanks.

[This message has been edited by Draelik (edited 05-22-99).]

[slacker241]

Not having had this problem I don't know what to tell you but go into the control panel and go into add/remove programs... remove everything that says 3dfx on it (They should be at the top!!! I have three but you may have more or less.)

Good luck

[Toolbox]

Holy ****! I just got my Voodoo3 3000 card today and am planning on installing it when I complete the computer.

What do I do to avoid what happened to you? I'm not a hardcore gamer and don't care if I just use the default drivers from the box.

Let me know buddy!

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It is now safe to turn off your computer



[This message has been edited by Toolbox (edited 05-22-99).]

[The Ninman]

The best thing to do is put the voodoo back in, and boot into safe mode. Open the registry. (start|run, regedit) and open hkey_local_machine|system|currentcontrolset|services|class|display

In that folder, there might be folders like this, 0000, 0001 and so on. Highlight each folder in turn, and on the right side some info will appear. On "driverdesc" verify its the voodoo card. Then write down what it says on "infpath"

Now that you have the *.inf written down. Make sure you can view hidden files, then use the find utility to search for the *.inf. Delete it.

Now next time you restart the system in normal mode, it should detect the voodoo, and want you to re-install the drivers.

[OneEng]

If you had a Voodoo2 in prior to this there have been reported problems with installing V3 over them.

Even so, if you completeley remove any reference to the old drivers (I would scan the registry too just to be sure) and then re-install, it should be OK.

[DEANRIL]

ok this is what you do,the same as what ninman said except,you will see 0001,0002,0003 ect.DELETE the folders that say voodoo in them.keep 0001 it will probably say "vga"then reinstall voodoo3 and it will recognize new hardware ect...

so to be clear,the one that says "vga" KEEP,the rest DELETE.This WILL solve your problem.

[Draelik]

Thanks guys. I am at work right now, but will definitely do it when I get home and hopefully, will post the positive results. Thanks again.

[Draelik]

Well, I did what you guys told me to do, Ninman and Deanril, but there wasn't anything that had Voodoo on it. Just 0000 and Chromatic. I can open 0000, but there isn't anything about Voodoo in that either. DDMODES, INFO and a few other things, but nothing with VOODOO. Damn. I can't figure this **** out. Any ideas? I am going to try and re-install the Voodoo drivers while my old card is in there, and then restart with the V3 in. Hope that works. If not, I'll be back later. Thanks.

[This message has been edited by Draelik (edited 05-23-99).]

[Draelik]

OK. Problem solved. I am not sure if what I did had anything to do with fixing the problem, but I am going to post it anyway. I ran regedit like you guys instructed, but as I stated prior, there wasn't anything with 3dfx or Voodoo in the display folder. So I started looking for anything in the regedit the had 3dfx or Voodoo. Instead of opening system, I opened software and there it was. 3dfx Interactive. So I deleted it. Mind you, this was all in safe mode with the V3 card in. I then went to my device manager and saw that Voodoo3 as a display adapter was "Xed" out. So I highlighted Voodoo3 and removed it. Then I restarted and it picked it up in PnP. Maybe I just got lucky, but who cares, it worked. I truly, whole-heartedly appreciate your help. And I hope this will help anyone else who has this problem.

[Splatt]

Best way to remove drivers is to physically take them out of the system directory. How do you know? well, that is not always easy. Some have hlp files with them (help files) and then you'll know. Some are specific (has 3dfx in it And for the rest, you can extract the drivers from most install programs with some playing - then you will be able to tell which are them. Delete the drivers from the system folder, delete the device from device manager and reboot W/V3, or any very new device, when it see's it on bootup, pick the generic device of that type, and then install the drivers as per the manufacturers specs.

Good luck